Process for treating lubricating-oil stock



' ALBERT 11o Drawing. Original application filed December 14,

Patented Dec, 31, 19 29 umran STATES rnocnss non 'rnnarnic iEL AdKERMAN, or onIcAc 'ILLmors, assrcnon r CATALYTIC crmmcar. comm, or DENVER, cononano, A conronarron or cononaoo LUBRIGATING-OIL STOCKg riled February 16, 1927, Serial 110,168,8Q8. Iienewed April 1l5, 1929.

My invention relates to processes of treating mineral oils and products containing bydroca rbons, and to methods for carrying outthetprocesws, as well as 1139 the compounding of the materials used in. such processes, and ithas particular reference to the treatment of lubricating oil stock.

My resent process is particularly designed or the treatment of petroleum preductsin which are found -carbon clusters, that is to say agglomerations of insoluble hydrocarbon, pitch or waxy substances which have separated from the oil, and by virtue of their presence render the said oil or oil residue very viscous and diflicultto pump orotherwisehandlef U One object .of my present invention is to provide a process particularly applicable to the treatment of what is known as lub stock, a material us'd for making lubricating oil. Lub stock might be more aptly termed liibricating stock, but in the oil fields and refineries the term lab stock is well understood, and it is in this sense that I employ this termhereinafter. I q

The part of the distillate from the crude oil stills known as l listock istreafted-in vari' ous ways for the p 'rpose of securing lubrieating oils as a petroleum product. Usually thisis discharged into ana 'tator and treated with sufiphuric acid during eating and agitation. rom the agitator lubricating oil requiring further treatment and a residuum known as acid sludge are secured, which is at the present time a waste product. The acidulating and agitating process may be repeated at different times. and need not be described in detail. In some ,i stances it has been found that the lub stoc is not adapted for the manufacture of lubricating oil, or that to treat the same somuch sulphuric acid is required that the oil is'ruined and without .suflicierit value for the desired pur ose. By my treatment in connection therewith, it has been possible to obtain lubricating oil from lub stock where before the processes heretofore emplo ed were unsatisfactory, as for example,w ere the base product was from the Lost Soldierfield, and in all instances it isnow possible with my present invention to secure the lubricating oil with the use of less acid. p

This -lub stock is ordinarily a residuum which consists of a heavy thick mass of hydrocarbons and waxes, depending on the base of the oil or the field from which it is taken,

1925, Serial No. 75,472. Divided and this application after the light ends, gases, oil and kerosene,

etc., are-distilled off at temperatures around 500 to 550 F. In order to make lubricating oil from this grade of material itkis necessary to remove substantially all of the heavy ends of carbon and alsothe waxes, to extract the -pure oil.'- When this is treated-in the a itator with heat, agitation and by the additionparticular base which may be used. It is considereddangerous to use an excess acid as it will stay in the thinner oil as the heavy carbons aredropped out, injuring the value of the oil for lubricating purposes.

My treatmentpis applied to the lub stock preferably at the time of discharge into the agitator or prior thereto, the'same reacting as hereinafter set forth. I have found as a result oftests that a less amount of acid is requiredmhen my treatment is carried out, and I have found in some instances it is possible to make lubricating oil from some .lub

stocks where before it was impossible owing to the amount of acid required to get the break. Too much-acid will cause so rapid a break as to clog the agitator in some instances.

This was found true in the case of oil from Lost Soldier field pre'v'ously referred to.

In treating or carry ng out my process, however, I find that certain additional chemicalsare desirable in order to produce a bet-' ter product, although the product is improved by using either of t e combinations reviously mentioned. I have further foun that the a color may be improved by the addition of decolorizers.

In treating the lub stock,'a batch .of my composition of materials may be made up as now to be described.

The ingredients'may be combined, for example, in approximately the following proportions, it being understood that the quantity required depends upon the amount of lub stock to be treated and that the proportions set forth are substantially approximate and may be varied within limits, depending upon the particular base from which the lub stock was derived. I have'secured satisfactory results when employing the materials in the proportion of 120 lbs. naphthalene, 100 lbs. phosphate rock, 35 lbs. caustic soda, 18 lbs. anthracene,'6 lbs. ammonium carbonate, 6 lbs. sodium phosphate, 15 lbs. sugar, 1 lb. arsenious acid, 1 lb. arsenic sulfide, and 1 lb. golden antimony sulfide. This mixture is ground for an hour or more, and

then there is added to the same 1 lb. more or less of oil of mirbane liquid, this mainly for the purpose of deodorizing.

In mixing these materials, I may take first the sodium hydroxide, sodium phosphate and ammonium carbonate and mix the same with approximately an equal weight of naphthalene, and grind the same for thirty minutes in a ball mill, and then add the balance of the naphthalene and the proper amount of anthracene, oil of mirbane and phosphate rock, followed, after grinding for a short time, by

4 the granulated sugar, 'arsenious acids, arsenic sulfide and antimony sulfide. The entire mixture is then ground for several minutes longer, and the material finally packed in airtight metal drums for use.

In using the materials, I use ordinarily onesixth pound per barrel of lub stock, but this may vary from a sixth or more down to a twelfth ofa pound per barrel of lub stock,

depending upon the particular kind of stock treated. After treatment thereafter in the usual manner, it is found that the heat and sulphuric acid treatment in the "agitator is greatly improved. The chemicals cause a breaking u of the carbon clusters, and there isa better reakbetween the sulphuric acid and the oil. There is a chemical reaction raising the temperature andbreaking up the smaller hydrocarbon clusters that the acid would ordinarily not attack sufiicienty to cause them to separate by gravity from the oil. The hosphate rock seems to greatly improve t e action, causing the acid to break quicker and cut sharper with smaller quantities of acid and to bring a better color to the oil. Ordinarily the chemicals are put in about three to five minutes before the sul- 'phuric acid is added, and it was found that the temperature immediately went up several qde rees and after the sulphuric acid was i ad ed there was ,a violent boilin created and "the'heavy 'sludge or heavy car ons formed immediately and dro ped to the bottom of agitator,-leavip g t e light oil and waxes at the top. As a result of this treatment, a very I high grade of lubricating oil can be made from the Lost Soldier crude oil stock where heretofore it was not possible to procure the same, owing to the amount of acid required. The sulphuric acid subsequent to the addition of my materials appears to make the attack or create the chemical action in a most satisfactory manner, presumably due to the fact that I have separated the hydrocarbon clusters before adding the acid, creating a more fluid substance and makin it easier for'the acid to attack the heavy car ons. In practice I have found that the result is apparent for when excess quantities of my materials are used the sulphuric acid will work so fast the s udge will drop so quickly that it will clog the agitator and it is difficult to handle the same and transport it away from theaddition of a composition resulting from the admixture of materials comprising naphthalene and anthracene, and treating.'the stock with sulfuric acid. 1

2, A method of treating lubricating oil stock which comprises treating the same with a. composition resulting from the admixture of materials comprising naphthalene, anthracene and alkaline substances to effect the disintegration of agglomerations of heavy insoluble waxy deposits therein and agitating the lubricating oil stock with sulfuric acid.

3.A methodof treating lubricating oil stock which comprises treat ng the same with a composition resulting from the admixture of materials comprising naphthalene, anthracene, alkaline substances and phosphate rock, and treating said lubricating oil stock with an acid. v

4. A method of treating lubricating oil stock which comprises treating thesame with a composition resulting from the admixture of materials comprising naphthalene anthracene, alkalies, phosphate rock and sugar, and treating with an acid.

5. A method of treating lubricating oil stock which comprises treating the same with a composition resulting from the admixture of materials comprising naphthalene, anthracene, alkalies, calcium phosphate and Sugar, and treating with an acid.

6. A method of treating lubricating oil stock which comprises treating the same with a composition resulting from the admixture of materials comprising naphthalene, anthracene, alkalies, sugar and a phosphate rock prior, to the process of agitation and treata composition resulting from the admixture of materials comprising naphthalene, anthracene, sodium hydroxide, ammonium carbonate, sodium phosphate, phosphate rock, sugar, arsenious acid, arsenic sulfide and golden antimony sulfide prior to agitation and treatment of said lubricating oil stock with sulphuric acid.

8. A process of treatin stock which comprises treatmg thesame with a composition resulting from the admixture of materials com rising naphthalene anthracene, sodium hydioxide, phosphate rock and sugar.

9. The process of treating lubricating oil stock which comprises adding to "the same prior to agitation with sulfuric acid a composition resulting from the admixture of materials comprising substantially 120 parts naghthalene, parts calcium phosphate (p osphate rock) 35 parts sodium hydroxide, 18 parts anthracene, 6 parts ammonium carbonate, 6 parts sodium phosghate, 15 parts sugar, 1 part arsenious aci 1 part arsenic sulfide, and 1 part golden antimony sulfide.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ALBERT H. ACKERMAN.

lubricating oil 

